Grand Caverns Regional Park (Grottoes)

Elevation: 1100 ft.

The primary attraction of this regional park is its caves. These striking caverns are well worth exploring. Visitors in the late afternoon may also see a few eastern pipistrelle bats as they exit the cave, as well as a few flying around just inside the entry way. The grounds of the park are a good mix of open and forested habitats boasting an accessible trail with numerous woodland and open country birds congregating in the area. In spring and summer, look for red-bellied and downy woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatch, eastern bluebird, gray catbird, indigo bunting, song and chipping sparrows, and American goldfinch. This can be a good place during migration. Butterflies to look for include black, spicebush and eastern tiger swallowtails, great spangled fritillary, red-spotted purple, eastern tailed-blue, hackberry emperor, and pearl crescent. They tend to congregate in the fields were troves of wildflowers, including mayflower, bluebell, and spring beauty, reside during spring.